Toaster crumb tray latch



May 13, 1952 M. IRELAND TOASTER CRUMB TRAY LATCH Original Filed Jan. 4, 194a INVENTOR. MURRAY IRELAAH) AT TORNE'Y Patented May 13, 1952 TOASTER CRUMB TRAY LATCH Murray Ireland, Elgin, Ill., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Elgin, Ill., a. corporation of Delaware Original application January 4, 1946, Serial No.

639,018. Divided and this application September 4, 1948, Serial No. 47,899

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to latches for access doors and the like. This application constitutes a division of my co-pending application S. N. 639,018 filed January 4, 1946.

Objects of the present invention include the provision of an improved crumb tray for an electric toaster and latch therefor, the provision of an improved manually operable (fastener and opening mechanism, and the provision of an improved latch and release mechanism for a door or the like. Other objects will be apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment which serves by way of example to illustrate the manner in which the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a pictorial View of my improved latch and operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof, and constitutes a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of an automatic electric toaster in which my improved crumb tray and operating device therefor is included; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the relative positions of the parts as the door opens.

A hook or latch III is pivoted on shaft I2 and is adapted to hold a crumb tray or closure I3 in its closed position. A leaf spring I4 is rigidly,

fastened to the hook member I0 and in the closed position of the tray I3 in Figs. 1-4, bears there against in a direction tending to open it, that is forcing the tray against the holding surface of the hook. The hook III includes a bellcrank arm I6 which is adapted to be engaged by a plunger I8 for rotating the hook I!) clockwise about its shaft I2 for releasing the crumb tray I3.

As shown in Fig. 4 only the lower end of the plunger I8 and the lower end of hook II) are exposed when the crumb tray I3 is latched in its closed position. The spring I4 bears against the tray I3 and holds it firmly against the latch to prevent rattling and the reaction of the spring pressure on the hook I0 is in the direction of holding it in engagement with the tray. Manual pressure on the end of plunger I8 for releasing the latch increases the pressure that the spring Id exerts on the tray, and when the latch releases the tray the spring I4 snaps it open. The tray is reclosed simply by pushing it against the latch. It thereupon slides against the inclined face of the latch to force it to the left as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. When the tray I3 is I 2 in its completely closed position, spring I4 pulls the latch into engagement.

My improved latch and tray are here shown on a toaster of the construction shown and described in the parent application already referred to, which need not be described in detail here.

Obviously.my present invention may be employed on other kinds of devices, and numerous modifications and variations of the invention may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Terms imparting direction such as front and back, and forward and backward, are used in the claims only in a relative sense for indicating relative directions, orientations, and the like.

I claim:

1. A closure latching device comprising a pivoted member, a latch hook adapted to releasably hold a closure in closed position, a spring arm adapted to tension the latch hook in holding engagement with the closure and adapted to urge the closure to open when released by the latch hook, the latch hook and spring arm being rigidly mounted on the pivoted member and projecting therefrom in spaced opposing relation to each other and transversely to the pivotal axis of the pivoted member, the latch hook being adapted to holding engagement with the outer face of the closure and the spring arm being adapted to tensioned engagement with the inner face of the closure whereby the closure is releasably held between the latch hook and spring arm in closed position.

2. A closure latching device comprising a pivoted bell-crank member, a latch hook adapted to releasably hold a closure in closed position, a spring arm adapted to tension the latch hook in holding engagement with the closure and adapted to urge the closure to open when released by the latch hook, the latch hook and spring arm being rigidly mounted on one arm of the bell-crank member and projecting therefrom in spaced opposing relation to each other and transversely to the pivotal axis of the bellcrank member, the latch hook being adapted to holding engagement with the outer face of the closure and the spring arm being adapted to tensioned engagement with the inner face of the closure, whereby the closure is releasably held between the latch hook and spring arm in closed position, and an actuating plunger engageable with the second arm of the bell-crank member to effect pivotal movement of the bell- 3 crank to release the latch hook from holding Number engagement with the closure. 545,277 MURRAY IRELAND. 645,049

1,488,757 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,646,266 The following references are of record in the 1,934,105 file of this patent: 2 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2304B 5 Number Name Date 10 332,343 Horn et a1. D86. 15, 1885 4 Name Date Feinberg Aug. 2'7, 1895 Fergusson Mar. 6, 1900 Lester Apr. 1, 1924 Stoner Oct. 18, 1927 'Iotty Nov. 7, 1933 Uhlrig Jan. 28, 194d McCullough July 30, 1946 

